Many past patents related to Extension Ladders have attempted to address the “Paint and Accessory” issue. All or most provided a “Single solution” and/or were bulky and difficult to set up and use. After the ANSI standards were adopted and D-Rungs became the standard in the 80's and 90″s, ladders became much safer platforms. Building on this history the above product(s) bring together the ease of use and multi-functionality homeowner and professional users need while increasing safety and productivity.
Several examples of holders for hollow-rung ladders can be cited. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,733 by Lunden, Jr. discloses a rigid tube with a suspended shelf on one of its ends. When the opposite end of the tube is inserted into the hollow rung of a ladder, the rigid tube is thereby supported, which in turns supports the suspended shelf on which a paint can is placed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,446 by Brown describes a “ladder caddy” which again uses a rigid tubing member to be inserted into a hollow ladder rung. Rather than a shelf surface, however, Brown discloses a snap-lock holding band. The paint can is placed within the band, which is then snapped closed, tightening around the can. The band itself is attached to the rigid tube through various wooden parts, such that the band, and paint can held therein, hang below the rigid tube which has been inserted into the hollow ladder rung.
Yet another invention along these lines is U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,060 to Korda. This invention discloses a rod which is long enough to extend completely through a hollow ladder rung. One end of the rod is threaded, thereby allowing a paint can holder to be secured by a wing nut to the rod. The opposing end of the rod has a pivoting latch plate which by gravity drops down to a vertical position once the rod has been inserted completely through the hollow ladder rung, thus supposedly securing the rod in place in the rung. The paint can holder portion of Korda's invention is simply a U-shaped frame with a cylindrical top piece conforming to the diameter of the paint can. The paint can rests on the U-shaped frame and is held in place by the cylindrical top piece.
Most of the patents researched were from a non-analogous art. Some involved a paint bucket holder that attached to the user's silhouette, others mounted on a step ladder, others either clamped to the edge of an extension ladder or were hung from a ladder rung. The eight patents listed herein were found to apply to the art of a paint bucket holder using a ladder hollow rung for attachment. All eight of these inventions have disadvantages that the present invention overcomes. There is a basic over-all security issue with all eight inventions, due generally to the approach to attachment of the paint can to the ladder hollow rung. The paint bucket has the capability to essentially swing or rotate about the horizontally disposed axis established by the support arm inserted in the hollow rung. This is generally done to maintain the paint bucket in a level, upright orientation. The disadvantage of this approach is that it creates a perception of insecurity on the part of the user due to movement of the paint bucket while paint is being extracted with a brush, especially as the level of the paint in the bucket decreases. The degree of risk of this movement during usage is invention specific, dependent upon the support arm cross section design.
Inventor Issue Date U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,632 Norman W. Weaver Aug. 10, 1999 U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,742 Erin Jessica & Robert Thomas Tade Dec. 8, 1998 U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,682 Julius F. Martin Jul. 22, 1997 U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,251 Raymond V. McGraw May 31, 1994 U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,060 Edward S. Korda Apr. 25, 1989 U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,446 Franklin C. Brown Oct. 27, 1987 U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,733 Charles K. Lunder, Jr. Jun. 18, 1985 U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,693 Ellis L. Blann Jul. 11, 1978
U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,632 by Weaver describes a utility can holder for use with hollow rung ladders. The paint can or bucket rests with the bail connecting knobs, or alternately, the bucket lip, contacting the upper surface of an annular support member. This support member is rigidly attached to a rung insert member which extends completely through the ladder hollow rung from one side to the other. Flexible tabs are compressed prior to insertion of this member into the rung and then open on the other side of the ladder to prevent inadvertent extraction from within the rung. The annular support member is rotatable within the rung to allow leveling of the paint bucket. This rotatability may cause instability as the user extracts paint from the bucket, as discussed in the preceding paragraph. It is also evident that the positioning and attachment of the paint bucket on the ladder is a two step procedure. The rung insert member must be secured within the selected ladder hollow rung prior to inserting the paint bucket into the container recess. The insertion of the rung insert member into the hollow rung is a “two hand operation”, involving holding the approximately 30 inch long holder with one hand and depressing the flexible tabs with the other hand. Only after the rung insert member is in place can the user climb off the ladder and transport the paint bucket back up the ladder to insert it into the container recess. Thus, significant complication is involved with moving the paint can holder from position to position on the ladder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,742 by Tade describes a paint can or bucket hanging by its bail from a T-shaped support member which is attached to one end of an extension member. The rod-like extension member is inserted into a ladder hollow rung. The paint bucket is supported by its bail which is vertically disposed directly above the lip of the paint bucket. This positioning of the bail interferes with extraction of the paint from the bucket with a paint brush.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,682 by Martin supports a container within an encircling cincture formed from a flattened projecting arm that is inserted into a ladder hollow rung. The support part of the projection arm that is inserted into the ladder hollow rung is relatively short and is not attached securely within the hollow rung. There is, at least, the perception of this device being a security risk due to the real possibility that the arm may be inadvertently extracted from the rung opening during usage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,251 by McGraw is directed at leveling a paint can in two dimensions. The paint can rests upon a wrap around frame that is elliptical shaped and may be either closed or open at one end. This frame is rigidly attached to a cylindrical handle that is inserted into a ladder hollow rung to support the frame and the paint can. The disadvantage of this approach is that the paint bucket may be dislodged from its position atop the frame and, at least, spill some or all of its contents, or at worst, be a safety hazard to persons on the ground. As with the invention by Martin, the cylindrical handle is relatively short compared to the length of the ladder rung and is not secured within the ladder rung. In addition, in one embodiment of the invention, the paint can is not enclosed on one side by the wrap-around frame, increasing the risk of dislodgment. Both of these conditions contribute to the perception of insecurity by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,060 by Korda provides a holder for supporting a paint bucket or can that is basically a cradle in which the paint can rests on a plate and is contained within a cylindrical member slightly larger in diameter than the outside of the paint can. A detachable rod is inserted through the ladder rung such that a swing plate latch falls vertically and secures the rod from extraction from the rung. The “cradle”, containing the paint bucket is attached to the other end of the rod. Korda's approach provides a higher degree of security than is available for the inventions previously discussed. However, the procedure for mounting the paint bucket onto the ladder is fairly complicated, not providing for ease of movement to another rung on the ladder by the user. The rod is mounted at the desired position on the ladder before the holder is attached to the end of the rod, followed by insertion of the paint bucket into the holder cradle. This procedure appears to involve at least two, and maybe more, trips up the ladder, and is not compatible with easily and conveniently changing the position of the paint can while the user is working on the ladder.
As the above indicates, there has been a good deal of effort in this area, but at least from applicant's perspective, little notable success commercially or in the field. This can be attributable to disadvantages inherent in the prior art, including over-complexity and inconvenience to use. Applicant also believes there may be a problem with perception, with painters being resistant to using any device which does not give the clear appearance of being able to securely hold a can of paint without the danger that the holder can come loose, spilling the contents of the paint can below, with potentially disastrous results.